I Didn't Know I Needed a Dehydrator Until I Got This One

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Less than a month ago, my partner turned to me on the couch and said something I didn't expect: "I think I need a dehydrator."

A little background. For the better part of the past year, she and I have gone whole ass into the programming of Bon Appétit's YouTube Channel. She's seen most of Brad Leone's It's Alive. I try to keep up with Alex Delany's One of Everything.We are both addicted to Claire Saffitz's Gourmet Makes. Back in reality, I fancied myself a pretty decent cook, and to her credit, she knows her way around a soft scramble. But we could get most everything done in the kitchen without using anything resembling a complicated piece of technology.

That changed as we shoved more and more Bon App content into our brains. Week after week, we witnessed Claire and Brad using their trusty dehydrator. When Claire was making some sort of potato chip or Brad was in need of some sort of bespoke spice, they had their secret weapon. Over, and over, and over, and over again, we saw this repeated use. Then, on that Saturday in December, it clicked for my partner. "I think I need a dehydrator." I was skeptical, but it was already on her Secret Santa Wish List™️. A week later, her brother revealed himself as her Secret Santa by ordering Cosori's dehydrator on their shared Amazon account.

The weekend before Christmas, my partner hacked off a piece of the filet her aunt was preparing for all of us for dinner. We put it in a plastic bag with sauces and spices and let it sit overnight. While we waited for it to marinate, we stole an already marinated pork tenderloin out of her mom's fridge, sliced it, spiced it, and threw it in the dehydrator for six hours. Pork jerky was born, and our lives would never be the same. (The filet jerky we made the next day was even better.)

So here I am, admitting my skepticism was misguided. Because now she has brought the dehydrator home. And I cannot wait to make more jerky—and lots of other stuff, too. Here's why you should fight your doubts and get yourself one of these bad boys from Cosori.

The dehydrator holds six full trays at a time.

Timothy Mulcare

There's more to make than you think.

A dehydrator offers an opportunity to try a ton of new lil bites. Obviously there's jerky: beef jerky, pork jerky, fish jerky, chicken jerky (I'd stick to the first two). But it's not all about the salt. Mangos, carrots, strawberries, bananas, apples, broccoli, kale—they can all be made into chips. Beyond the snacks, I most look forward to testing the waters in the leftovers department. You know how stuff like wings and mozzarella sticks are never as good on the second day? All of that moisture makes for a soggy next-day meal. I can't wait to throw those wings in the oven, get 'em hot, and then suck the moisture out of them in the Cosori. Everyone knows a wing ain't a wing unless it's crispy.

It's so easy to use, you can't mess up.

There are only four steps to using this dehydrator. Load in your food, set your temperature, set your time, and wait. Cleaning is easy, too. The trays are dishwasher safe. That leaves the rest of your headspace for creativity. Sure, this isn't something you're using every day. But that's all the more opportunity to get crafty when you do. This is the type of tool that lets you zero in on prep. Marinating, seasoning, slicing—that's where your head can be.

The display is simple and the machine is quiet.

Timothy Mulcare

It's sexy.

Keeping it stylish might not be your top priority in regards to appliances. Hell, the word "appliance" is hardly a sexy word. But Cosori's dehydrator won't mess up the curated aesthetic you've brought to your kitchen. Its minimal design speaks not only to its simple functionality, but it also sends the message "I give a shit" to anyone who steps foot in your kitchen. That's not easy to come by.

Ben BoskovichBen Boskovich is the Deputy Editor of Esquire, where he also writes about style.

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